I am writing from the new central library. There are lots of computer terminals for the likes of me. A bit circuitous getting here, but then that's my style. It's quite near the Central RR station but the area has a lot of construction.
Anyway I am here and have had a busy 3 days. I will try to be brief (not likely) and unfortunately I didn't bring the connection for the camera to share photos, but this will bring you up to date on my initial part of this journey.
I flew to Chicago Friday early a.m. In the afternoon I met with the DuPage Foundation and AIANEI exec re the Larsen scholarship. It was a productive meeting generating ideas for further publicizing next year's scholarship. I was also pleased that with the market downturn the scholarship funds had not taken a big hit.
On Saturday Emily and Brett picked me up and we went to Michaels. He was working but we were able to spend time playing with granddaughter/niece Katherine who at age 11 months is babbling and patty caking and all sorts of other talents being demonstrated. Emily brought some books for Carl and Josh, Karen's boys and they really enjoyed them. We then went to Oakbrook for Emily's birthday lunch at Clubhouse. Delightful outdoor setting on a beautiful day and great food too. Last stop was a quick visit with friends Perry and Laddie Bok, the latter of whom is recovering from a recent hospitalization. It was great to see him up and around.
I checked into the airport in plenty of time. I was delighted that I had no seat mate on the plane so was able to stretch out a bit. Still it was a short night when we arrived in Dublin where I changed planes for Amsterdam. On arrival here I went to the wrong luggage carousel and it took a while to resolve that but my suitcase was among the few still circling the belt.
Then it was on to getting a train ticket, another challenge involving a machine. Then finding the correct track for my train. I had instructions sent by the Bed and Breakfast. Finally onto the train where I stood with another woman near the door as I was only going one stop. Turns out she was only going one stop. When I asked her destination and she discribed the same B & B where I was bound, I had a new friend, Grace. Together we found our way and it turned out our rooms were adjacent and we were to share the toilet, shower, and kitchen facilities!
It was a beautiful day and we took a walk through nearby Vondel Park. It was great fun to see all the people enjoying the day. Bicycles everywhere and many with children in a cart attached to the front. I even found my Thursday hotel right outside the park. Grace headed off to do some other touring. She lives in Dublin where she is a professor of Spanish. She's delivering a manuscript of her book to the University of Leiden today so her Amersterdam visit was short.
I headed back to the B & B for a nap. At 7p.m. she returned and we headed off to dinner. Our first choice had a long wait and we ended up at an Indonesian Restaurant Sumatra. Unfortunately the service was poor and we had a long wait for our food. However we had lots of time to get acquainted.
Monday Grace decided to join me in going to Anne Frank's house. It is every bit as moving and impressive as advertised. Fortunately the wait wasn't too long. Afterwards we had a total change of pace and went to the Tulip Museum where we learned all about the cultivation and harvesting of tulip bulbs. We also visiting the Delft porcelian store and had lunch nearby. I tried one of the local specialties, a savory pancake with spinach. Grace had a huge bowl of steaming hot mussels.
We then visited Neuw Kerke (New Church about 600 years old) where they had an excellent exhibit "Black is Beautiful" tracing the use of black skin people in art over the ages. It was very well done and fascinating how they displayed using elements of the church structure. We decided to go to Oude Kerke (Old Church 700 years) since it was enroute to Rembrandt house. Their art exhitit was very avant garde and the church is undergoing major renovation and seemed like a construction zone. I did inquire re graves as I have learned I may have an ancestor there from the 1600's. Unfortunately I did not have the name of the person with me but made arrangement to meet with a staff member on Thursday with the information. Rembrandt's wife Saskia is buried there and we saw her stone in the floor.
Arriving at the Rembrandt house we were turned away as it was too close to closing. It was a disappointment particularly for Grace. She headed off to make use of her I Amsterdam card on the last canal boat ride of the day while I worked my way (literally struggling to get the tram connections correct) back to the B & B. I had a dinner engagement at the home of Julie and Marc Dinsbach. Julie is the daughter of my cousin Jim in Maryland. She's been in the Netherlands 7 years and married to Dutch native Marc for 2 years. They are expecting their first child in a month. She's required to stop working 4 weeks prior to the birth and receives 4 months paid leave. Their house is an easy walk from my B & B and we had a delightful evening together including a Skype call with her parents.
Today Grace and I had breakfast together. She's done the shopping so we have fruit and toast as well as the cereal provided. I was sorry to see her go but hopefully we will connect on the internet. She gave me her I Amsterdam card to use as it was still good until 2 p.m. I used it for the Riksmuseum which features the work of Rembrandt and the Van Gough museum. It was a good way to spend a rainy day.
The B & B is outside the center city but easy connections by the frequent trams. It has a neighborhood feel which I prefer to the hotel, tourist areas. My room is quite large with a sofa as well as a bed. There are a number of shops and restaurants near by and the park is about a block away. Canals are everywhere, more than in Venice they say. I am surprised how many types of boats are on the canals both pleasure and working.
So that's my first on the road post. Hopefully I will post again on Friday with some photos. Friday afternoon I join my barge and bike trip group and we'll board the barge and have our first ride on Saturday. Hopefull the weather will improve. It's quite cool with rain and wind today. I'm happy I made a last minute decision to include my wool sweater. My best to you all.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Slideshow
I didn't want to leave again until I had posted my summer photos. You'll see I finally accomplished this but without captions or music which I was hoping to add. You can click on the side show or just watch it in the blog. You will see some additional photos of the iceberg as well as some other events of the trip. Hopefully as I travel to Europe I can add some as I go but also add another album when I return. (I should write down how I finally achieved this!)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Trip Preparations
Today my euros arrived from Bank America. It turned out to be an easy process. I had been tracking the dollar vs euro on the msn website: http://moneycentral.msn.com/Investor/market/exchangerates.aspx?selRegion=3&selCurrency=1
and compared it with Bank of America's foreign currency information. BA varied from .08-.10 above the msn rate quoted. They also charge $7.50 to send it whether it goes directly to the customer or to a bank. I was hesitant to order at the end of last week as delivery could have been interrupted by Ike's path. I saw Monday the euro had gone up. Tuesday morning the BA site quoted the lowest I had seen. I guess they run a day behind though I was told the rate could even change during the day. I quickly placed my order online. By 3 p.m. Fed Ex arroved with my Euros. Compared to when I first began watching the rate I did save. What will happen it the next two weeks is a toss up, but that's one thing I can cross off my list.
The decision on whether to use this blog is also made. Although my next travels will be quite different, I think keeping this blog is a good idea. No sense cluttering up the net more!
I am spending my time reading as much background material as I can. I also am doing some family history research to learn more about my Dutch ancestors in the Deweese/Dewees line. My great great grandmother was Martha DeWeese born in Greensboro, Guilford County, NC in 1834. I've located another's research that shows her father descended from the original immigrant Gerret Hendricks Dewees born abt 1640 in the Netherlands, emigrated in the late 1600's and died in Germantown PA 1701. While I still need to do some verifying, the research seems reliable. I'm hoping to pinpoint some information I might check while in Amsterdam. It would add a personal element to the trip.
I hope also to visit my cousin's daughter who lives in Amsterdam and is married to a Hollander. They are expecting their first child around the time of my visit. It could be the first of the family line born back in the old country in almost 400 years!
and compared it with Bank of America's foreign currency information. BA varied from .08-.10 above the msn rate quoted. They also charge $7.50 to send it whether it goes directly to the customer or to a bank. I was hesitant to order at the end of last week as delivery could have been interrupted by Ike's path. I saw Monday the euro had gone up. Tuesday morning the BA site quoted the lowest I had seen. I guess they run a day behind though I was told the rate could even change during the day. I quickly placed my order online. By 3 p.m. Fed Ex arroved with my Euros. Compared to when I first began watching the rate I did save. What will happen it the next two weeks is a toss up, but that's one thing I can cross off my list.
The decision on whether to use this blog is also made. Although my next travels will be quite different, I think keeping this blog is a good idea. No sense cluttering up the net more!
I am spending my time reading as much background material as I can. I also am doing some family history research to learn more about my Dutch ancestors in the Deweese/Dewees line. My great great grandmother was Martha DeWeese born in Greensboro, Guilford County, NC in 1834. I've located another's research that shows her father descended from the original immigrant Gerret Hendricks Dewees born abt 1640 in the Netherlands, emigrated in the late 1600's and died in Germantown PA 1701. While I still need to do some verifying, the research seems reliable. I'm hoping to pinpoint some information I might check while in Amsterdam. It would add a personal element to the trip.
I hope also to visit my cousin's daughter who lives in Amsterdam and is married to a Hollander. They are expecting their first child around the time of my visit. It could be the first of the family line born back in the old country in almost 400 years!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Storm Season
Sunday, August 31, 2008 Son Michael is 40 today!
My current debate is whether to set up a new blog for my trip to Europe. Perhaps it’s just as easy to continue on this site. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Tomorrow I will take Big Mama to a storage site for the first time. My condo association notified me in June that I would no longer be able to park here. When I first bought the van I thought I’d have to keep it somewhere else. It caused many sleepless nights trying to figure out how I’d take and pick it up without being a burden on neighbors. I was told at that time it was ok; it was just a van. Now its RV qualities are pointed out and our bylaws call for no RV’s. Unfortunately in the meantime I’ve become accustomed to having it handy.
I’ve selected a site that I think I can do by bicycle. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow. I had it in for the sanitation hose replacement last week but the dealer’s lift broke, with another RV in the up position. Later this week, I will probably have to take it there. The new hose is much more pliable and hopefully easier to stuff in the small compartment.
I’ve been trying to clean and polish the outside and borrowed a neighbor’s extension ladder to work on the top. Good thing as I found a rusty screw holding in the AC unit. The RV dealer did change out that as well as reinstall the driver’s door gasket that had peeled away. The top is looking better than I thought but I still have more to do. I’m fighting Gustav’s wind today, but hopefully as it moves further north I can climb the ladder.
I am rather peculiar I guess. I enjoy cleaning the van as I always did the boats. Somehow it is not transferable with cleaning house. My house looks like a shambles with staging for the Europe trip and items from the summer trip still waiting for decisions or resting places. I’m adding to the clutter by bringing items in from Big Mama that make sense to store here since it won’t be as handy to go get them if needed. My concern though it that when I go camping again, I will forget something. One of my to-do list items today is to make a check list for loading Big Mama. Some items I haven’t used in the year of ownership. Others have use in the condo.
I am working on my Europe preparations reading material on the area, developing my itinerary, and trying to increase my bike miles. I’ve also been watching the Euro. Fortunately the dollar has been coming down.
Of course everyone is aware of Gustav and we’ve been experiencing rain and wind as a result of that storm. We are all on edge about Hanna and the disturbances that are following behind her. This could be a very interesting next 10 days.
My current debate is whether to set up a new blog for my trip to Europe. Perhaps it’s just as easy to continue on this site. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Tomorrow I will take Big Mama to a storage site for the first time. My condo association notified me in June that I would no longer be able to park here. When I first bought the van I thought I’d have to keep it somewhere else. It caused many sleepless nights trying to figure out how I’d take and pick it up without being a burden on neighbors. I was told at that time it was ok; it was just a van. Now its RV qualities are pointed out and our bylaws call for no RV’s. Unfortunately in the meantime I’ve become accustomed to having it handy.
I’ve selected a site that I think I can do by bicycle. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow. I had it in for the sanitation hose replacement last week but the dealer’s lift broke, with another RV in the up position. Later this week, I will probably have to take it there. The new hose is much more pliable and hopefully easier to stuff in the small compartment.
I’ve been trying to clean and polish the outside and borrowed a neighbor’s extension ladder to work on the top. Good thing as I found a rusty screw holding in the AC unit. The RV dealer did change out that as well as reinstall the driver’s door gasket that had peeled away. The top is looking better than I thought but I still have more to do. I’m fighting Gustav’s wind today, but hopefully as it moves further north I can climb the ladder.
I am rather peculiar I guess. I enjoy cleaning the van as I always did the boats. Somehow it is not transferable with cleaning house. My house looks like a shambles with staging for the Europe trip and items from the summer trip still waiting for decisions or resting places. I’m adding to the clutter by bringing items in from Big Mama that make sense to store here since it won’t be as handy to go get them if needed. My concern though it that when I go camping again, I will forget something. One of my to-do list items today is to make a check list for loading Big Mama. Some items I haven’t used in the year of ownership. Others have use in the condo.
I am working on my Europe preparations reading material on the area, developing my itinerary, and trying to increase my bike miles. I’ve also been watching the Euro. Fortunately the dollar has been coming down.
Of course everyone is aware of Gustav and we’ve been experiencing rain and wind as a result of that storm. We are all on edge about Hanna and the disturbances that are following behind her. This could be a very interesting next 10 days.
Friday, August 22, 2008
FAY
Just a brief post to say today the sun is shining here today and it really helps ones attitude. In the scheme of things we came through very well. It was a long four days of rain and wind but I was already fairly prepared with window covers, food supplies, and porch furniture stored indoors. While Stuart did experience a small tornado and some flooding, much of the flooding was to the north of us.
I need to find a place to store Big Mama and I'm wondering how many of those storage facilities were flooded. She rode out the storm in the driveway. I took her for errands yesterday since she rides a bit higher than my VW Passat wagon. It was my first time out of our condo complex in almost a week. I tried to do as many errands as I could think of but find I need to go out again today.
We resumed our water exercise in the pool today with only 3 of us plus the instructor. It was wonderful to get the exercise although the water was a bit chilled by all the rain.
I made some corrections to the previous post. I had forgotten to list the cost of the ferries. I also had a couple of other errors which were pointed out to me. It's a work in process.
During the storm we did not lose power so I was able to get some computer work done including sorting my photos--about 500 taken on the trip. I should be posting them shortly with a link on the blog.
I need to find a place to store Big Mama and I'm wondering how many of those storage facilities were flooded. She rode out the storm in the driveway. I took her for errands yesterday since she rides a bit higher than my VW Passat wagon. It was my first time out of our condo complex in almost a week. I tried to do as many errands as I could think of but find I need to go out again today.
We resumed our water exercise in the pool today with only 3 of us plus the instructor. It was wonderful to get the exercise although the water was a bit chilled by all the rain.
I made some corrections to the previous post. I had forgotten to list the cost of the ferries. I also had a couple of other errors which were pointed out to me. It's a work in process.
During the storm we did not lose power so I was able to get some computer work done including sorting my photos--about 500 taken on the trip. I should be posting them shortly with a link on the blog.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Trip Accounting
Sunday, August 17 As many of you are aware our focus here in Florida has a name—FAY. Not sure what impact it will have on my area but the good news is that most of my window covers are still on. I plan to stay here for the storm. Big Mama with her generator will be my back up power. Today is clear, sunny and breezy and I had a forty-five minute bike ride around the small peninsula, Rocky Point, discovering new connected streets. You see so much more on a bike.
I’ve been collecting my statistics for the trip and a bit chagrined at my bookkeeping. The gasoline was all charged and I added into the cost the “foreign transaction” fees of the credit card company. Here’s what I have so far and I think it is pretty complete:
Miles traveled: 7667 Gasoline charges: $2367.88US (I calculate slightly more than .30/mile)
Total nights away from home: 55 Camping: 33 Ferry boat: 1 Staying with friends! 21
Camping costs: $721.32 Park fees (sometimes needed to camp) $32.60
Tolls (includes $41.50 Can for PEI bridge) $61.10
Ferries: $484.84
Tours $100.91 Admissions $31.70
Food $384.59 Souvenirs: $343.39
Service for Van (oil changes, regular maintenance) $124.24
Total of above: $4,167.73 or approximately $76/day (Note: Gasoline is in US Dollars; other costs are US and Canadian dollars. Credit card transaction fees added more than make up for any advantage of the US dollar.)
Of course the hospitality and generosity of the many friends contributed greatly to decreasing the cost of the trip, but even more so to the quality of life for this traveler.
I’ll post news of FAY on this blog after the storm passes assuming we have electricity.
I’ve been collecting my statistics for the trip and a bit chagrined at my bookkeeping. The gasoline was all charged and I added into the cost the “foreign transaction” fees of the credit card company. Here’s what I have so far and I think it is pretty complete:
Miles traveled: 7667 Gasoline charges: $2367.88US (I calculate slightly more than .30/mile)
Total nights away from home: 55 Camping: 33 Ferry boat: 1 Staying with friends! 21
Camping costs: $721.32 Park fees (sometimes needed to camp) $32.60
Tolls (includes $41.50 Can for PEI bridge) $61.10
Ferries: $484.84
Tours $100.91 Admissions $31.70
Food $384.59 Souvenirs: $343.39
Service for Van (oil changes, regular maintenance) $124.24
Total of above: $4,167.73 or approximately $76/day (Note: Gasoline is in US Dollars; other costs are US and Canadian dollars. Credit card transaction fees added more than make up for any advantage of the US dollar.)
Of course the hospitality and generosity of the many friends contributed greatly to decreasing the cost of the trip, but even more so to the quality of life for this traveler.
I’ll post news of FAY on this blog after the storm passes assuming we have electricity.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Florida Arrival
August 13 Wednesday Stuart Florida I arrived back at home around 9 p.m. last night after an 11 hour drive from the Atlanta area fueled by Pam’s chocolate chip cookies. My original plan was to stop at Paine’s Prairie near Gainesville. However the intermittant rain, the forcast for the next day, light traffic and the urge to complete the trip all ruled in favor of the push. I have never seen so few trucks on I 75. I came straight through Atlanta around 11 a.m. and never even slowed. Most of the trip I went 65mph.
Before heading to Pam’s in Dawsonville, Frank and I picked blueberries and vegetables. Tonight I cooked some of the vegetables. What a treat. It seems I haven’t forgotten how to cook, I’m relieved to say.
Pam and I had a great catching up visit in her beautiful home on Lake Lanier. Unfortunately the Lake is still alarmingly low. She keeps extending her dock and may some day get quite chummy wich the folks on the other shore.
As I was departing she urged me to get my tires checked at a nearby tire place she uses. I too had noted the back drivers side tire looked low. It was a real blow to my confidence in the Chevy dealer in Brattleboro when it was discovered that in rotating the tires, they never changed the air pressure. The front tires are supposed to be 50 lb psi and the back 80 psi. Instead it was the reverse so I had been riding with a lower rear carriage as well. Fortunately most of my previous days were short and lower speeds as well as pretty smooth roads. Not sure if that tire pressure could have resulted in more difficulty handling the mountain curves or in my gas mileage. What really upsets me is that I made a point about confirming that the tires were correctly inflated and the service manager went back and checked with the repair person. I plan to telephone or write them.
Anyway the good news is that I am home safe and sound and very grateful. In my next blog entry I’ll go into some of the statistics of the trip. I drove almost 8 thousand miles. Tonight it’s catching up with me.
Before heading to Pam’s in Dawsonville, Frank and I picked blueberries and vegetables. Tonight I cooked some of the vegetables. What a treat. It seems I haven’t forgotten how to cook, I’m relieved to say.
Pam and I had a great catching up visit in her beautiful home on Lake Lanier. Unfortunately the Lake is still alarmingly low. She keeps extending her dock and may some day get quite chummy wich the folks on the other shore.
As I was departing she urged me to get my tires checked at a nearby tire place she uses. I too had noted the back drivers side tire looked low. It was a real blow to my confidence in the Chevy dealer in Brattleboro when it was discovered that in rotating the tires, they never changed the air pressure. The front tires are supposed to be 50 lb psi and the back 80 psi. Instead it was the reverse so I had been riding with a lower rear carriage as well. Fortunately most of my previous days were short and lower speeds as well as pretty smooth roads. Not sure if that tire pressure could have resulted in more difficulty handling the mountain curves or in my gas mileage. What really upsets me is that I made a point about confirming that the tires were correctly inflated and the service manager went back and checked with the repair person. I plan to telephone or write them.
Anyway the good news is that I am home safe and sound and very grateful. In my next blog entry I’ll go into some of the statistics of the trip. I drove almost 8 thousand miles. Tonight it’s catching up with me.
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